The invention relates to a laser knife, and more particularly to a laser knife which utilizes radiation for cautery of an affected part located within the coeloma for purpose of excision or coagulation.
The prior art practice to incise or excise an affected part located within the coeloma such as a polyp has been by the use of an excision or incision knife which is inserted into the forceps channel of an endoscope, formed by a flexible tube adapted to be inserted into the coeloma, in a manner such that the knife is movable out of or into the distal end of the tube. However, the use of such means requires a high level of skill and is also time consuming. In addition, additional treatments such as stanching or sterilization is required, resulting in a tremendous operation.
There has been an attempt to utilize laser radiation for purpose of excision or incision of an affected part by cauterizing it with such radiation. This removes the necessity for the treatments such as stanching or sterilization. However, as is well recognized, the very high intensity of laser radiation involves the risk that normal tissues other than the affected part may be cauterized or pierced by laser radiation after the intended part has been cauterized. However, it will be appreciated that the use of laser radiation achieves a surgical operation such as incision or excision in a simple manner and within a reduced time, provided provision is made to avoid unintended irradiation of other parts with laser radiation.